Sir fired for SHOOTING pupil: But kids fight to bring back popular teacher

INCIDENT: A popular physics teacher has been sacked from St Peter's Collegiate school after an accident in the classroom [SOCIAL MEDIA]

“Surely there are safer ways to do this experiment that taking a deadly weapon into class?”

A parent at the school

Science sir Richard West was carrying out an experiment with the weapon when it fired, hitting a pupil in the leg.

But pupils are so furious their physics teacher has been sacked over what his victim called “a complete accident” that they have collected 1,000 signatures on a petition to get him reinstated.

One parent said: “I can’t believe a teacher thought it was appropriate to take a gun into a school. Surely there are safer ways to do this experiment that taking a deadly weapon into class?”

But the 17-year-old victim has written to the school governors begging them to reconsider, saying: “Mr West is the reason I chose to do physics”.

ACCIDENT: Richard West was incredibly popular among pupils [SWNS]

He added: “I’m not sure how it happened, it must have rebounded off the table and it hit me on the leg. Everyone was really shocked but I was okay – you’d do more damage with a safety pin. It was a complete accident.”

Pupils have also set up a Facebook page called Bring Back Westy after the teacher was sacked last week following an investigation at St Peter’s Collegiate School.

Another parent, James Read said the school should have “taken into account the many years of dedicated service by this popular and inspirational teacher.”

Head Adrian Richards said: “As we are in the appeal phase of the process, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”